Re: preserving file attributes from make install in rpm spec file

On Dec 13, 2007 10:20 AM, Bob Beers <bob beers gmail com> wrote:

I am new to rpm building and trying to do the right thing.

I want to build an rpm from a set of files which comes
with a Makefile install target that sets ownership
and permissions differently for different files.

When executing make install (as root) everything is ok,
but trying to build the rpm as non-root fails
with "cannot change ownership of `/var/tmp/...' : Operation not permitted"

The Makefile has (simplified version)
install:
$(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(BINDIR)
#any group
$(INSTALL) -m 755 file01 $(DESTDIR)$(BINDIR)
$(INSTALL) -m 644 file02 $(DESTDIR)$(BINDIR)
#wheel group
$(INSTALL) -m 750 -g wheel file03 $(DESTDIR)$(BINDIR)
#aaa group
$(INSTALL) -m 750 -g aaa file04 $(DESTDIR)$(BINDIR)
#bbb group
$(INSTALL) -m 750 -g bbb file05 $(DESTDIR)$(BINDIR)

The spec file has:

%install
make DESTDIR=%buildroot/ install

Obviously I'm overlooking something. I am sure this is not that unusual.

BTW, and I know I should not do it, if I build the rpm as root,
the permissions are fine, but all files are root:root.

What you miss is %attr markers in the %files manifest.

Add explicit

%attr(mode,user,group)

(substituting the actual values for "mode", "user", "group" above)

for paths listed in the %files manifest.

There is also %defattr, and there's a certain art to expressing

%attr so that itscopes correctly across glob patterns, but rpm

packaging easily separates the actual {mode,user,group} used

during build from the same tuple used during install.

hth

73 de Jeff